An investigation that patients are starting to ask their doctors about more and more often should be done at least once in a lifetime, because it can tell us a lot about the real risk of cardiovascular disease.
The analysis is recommended to be performed at least once in a lifetime PHOTO: Shutterstock
More and more patients are asking about Lipoprotein(a), abbreviated Lp(a), attracted the attention of diabetologist Anca Roman, explaining what this lipoprotein (a) is and why it appears more and more often in medical recommendations.
“Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol particle similar to LDL (“bad cholesterol”), but has an additional protein component called apolipoprotein(a). This structure makes Lp(a): strongly atherogenic (promotes the deposition of fats on the vessels), inflammatory and partly thrombogenic (promotes the formation of clots)”stated Dr. Roman, in a post on his Facebook account.
It is important to know the Lp(a) values because they help in assessing the risk of stroke, especially since there may not be other red flags on the report.
“An elevated Lp(a) value—above 50 mg/dL (or 105 nmol/L)—increases the risk of heart attack or stroke independent of total or LDL cholesterol levels. In other words, even if “cholesterol tests are good”, an elevated Lp(a) may indicate a hidden cardiovascular risk”indicated the doctor.
When the analysis is recommended
The guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology recommend that all adults measure their Lp(a) at least once in their life, notes the doctor, and even more so if the following situations are encountered: there is a family history of early cardiovascular disease; LDL remains elevated despite treatment; you had a cardiovascular event even though the rest of the tests were within normal limits.
The less good news is that Lp(a) levels cannot be significantly lowered by diet or standard treatment, and that’s because the levels are genetically determined.
“However, knowing the value helps the physician aggressively adjust other risk factors (LDL, blood pressure, weight, inflammation, smoking, etc.)—and in some cases recommend dedicated therapies in clinical trials,” concluded the doctor.
